1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a food service implement for use in connection with scooping and serving ice cream in decorative swirls. The auger scoop has particular utility in connection with providing an electrically powered scoop for easily scooping and decoratively serving frozen ice cream.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Ice cream is a very popular food item and is served in numerous households, restaurants, soda shoppes, and other establishments. Dispensing instruments for ice cream include spoons, scoops with hemispherical bowls, scoops with internal warming fluids, and dispensers with sliding wipers. All of these implements are used in an attempt to serve ice cream into individual sized portions in a pleasing presentation.
One of the most prevalent problems with serving ice cream is that it is often very hard when it has been in the freezer for any length of time, making it difficult to insert the scooping device into the container. It is common for the handle of the scooping implement to bend, and sometimes break, when a user attempts to scoop solidly frozen ice cream. In addition, individuals with limited hand, wrist, and/or arm strength find it difficult to scoop ice cream in this manner. Other problems include ice cream sticking in the scoop due to its hemispherical shape. Many types of wiping blades have been invented to alleviate this problem, but these are largely ineffective since the ice cream tends to freeze to the internal side of the scoop. Plungers have also been implemented to help eject the scooped ice cream, but the cups used in these implementations have difficulties with presenting aesthetically pleasing servings and with holding softer ice cream. Therefore, a device which could be used for easily scooping and decoratively serving frozen ice cream would be highly desirable by individuals eating at home, restaurant owners, or other individuals involved in food preparation.
The use of ice cream scoops is known in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,822,976 to Edward R. Moonan discloses an ice cream scoop having a trowel-like cylindrical scoop with a plunger that slides through the scoop to eject the ice cream therefrom and a handle extending perpendicularly downward from the scoop for gripping the device while scooping and ejecting the ice cream. However, the placement of the handle of the Moonan '976 device with respect to the scoop would make it difficult to scoop ice cream while grasping the handle. Further, the shaft of the scoop cannot be grasped during the scooping process since the rod that supports the plunger is not covered. Additionally, the Moonan '976 device requires the user to possess sufficient hand, arm and wrist strength to both scoop hard, frozen ice cream and eject it from the scoop. This could be difficult for the young or elderly, as well as those suffering from arthritis or other physical limitations.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,850,843 to W. Fred Ralls discloses an ice cream server that consists of a hemispherical bowl with a serrated cutting edge, a handle, and a motor for rotating the bowl relative to the handle in order to facilitate the scooping of the ice cream with the bowl. The bowl might also include a rotatable wiper blade for help in releasing scooped ice cream from the bowl. However, if the ice cream to be dispensed by the Ralls '843 server were somewhat melted, the portion of the substance in the bowl would tend to fall out as the server was drawn upward from the ice cream container. Additionally, the cutting edge of the bowl could pose a safety hazard upon which the user or other individuals might cut themselves. Lastly, the wiper blade of the Ralls '843 device is not an overly effective means for releasing ice cream from the bowl and could require intervention from the user to accomplish the release.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,970,555 to Mayo J. Baker and Tom F. Mason discloses a dispensing scoop that consists of a cylindrical cup mounted on a shaft featuring a radially mounted plunger disk that is operated by a squeeze trigger located on a handle. The handle extends perpendicularly downward from the cylindrical cup and plunger shaft. However, the Baker, et al. '555 patent fails to provide a cutting edge on the cup; therefore the user would need to exert sufficient hand, wrist, and arm strength to pass the scoop through hard, frozen ice cream. This could be a difficult proposition for young children, the elderly, or for any individual with limited strength or physical ailments in the hands or arms. In addition, the position of the cup with respect to the handle would make it difficult to scoop ice cream from conventional containers. Moreover, the cup of the Baker, et al. '555 device would not be capable of retaining slightly melted ice cream while it is drawn from a container.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,978,943 to Ora E. Harris discloses an ice cream dipper having an inverted cylindrical cup with a cutting edge on the bottom and an ejector consisting of a cupped plunger mounted on a shaft and operated by depressing a plunger knob. However, the ice cream which is not completely frozen would tend to fall out of the Harris '943 device when it is lifted from the container. Furthermore, the shape of the cylindrical cup does not lend itself to conventional serving portions of ice cream. Lastly, the cutting edge of the Harris '943 device could present a safety hazard for the user or a child who accidentally picks up the dipper.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 305,852 to Richard N. Clement and Theresa M. Karczmarczyk discloses the ornamental design for a battery heated ice cream scoop having an arcuate spoon portion attached to a handle. However, the Clement, et al. '852 patent fails to provide a mechanism for helping remove the ice cream from the spoon portion of the scoop. Additionally, heating the scoop would tend to make the ice cream melt, which might not be acceptable to those consuming the ice cream. Finally, the user of the Clement, et al. '852 scoop would need to possess sufficient hand, wrist, and arm strength to pass the scoop through hard, frozen ice cream, which could be difficult for those with limited strength or physical ailments in the hands or arms.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,591 to Thomas E. Daniels, Jr. discloses an ice shaver apparatus that includes a cylindrical ice receiving chamber with a lid and an opening in the bottom and housing an elongated blade with its knife edge projecting through the opening into the chamber. However, the Daniels, Jr. '591 patent fails to provide a mechanism by which ice cream, or a similar material, could be scooped from a container; therefore, it would not be feasible for use in this capacity.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,150 to Bruno Fanini, Adelio Ciresola, and Alberto Aldegheri discloses a scoop for dispensing balls of ice cream that comprises a hemispherical spoon equipped with handle and an electrically actuated sweeping band mounted for rotation on the spoon to release ice cream from the spoon. However, the Fanini, et al. '150 device would require the user to have sufficient hand and arm strength to scoop frozen ice cream from its container. This could be difficult for the elderly, those suffering from arthritis or other physical limitations, and young children. Furthermore, the hemispherical spoon tends to retain the ice cream and does not permit its easy release. Lastly, the sweeping band, which is intended to remove the ice cream by sweeping the inner surface of the spoon, is ineffective in releasing the ice cream easily.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,787,163 to Neil E. Denison and Edward E. McCullough discloses a powered ice cream dipper that provides a dipper apparatus which attaches to a conventional electric knife handle. The dipper is slightly less than hemispherical with sharpened and serrated edges and may be electrically heated to facilitate removal of ice cream therefrom. However, the Denison, et al. '163 device could only be used by consumers owning a specific type of electrical knife. Additionally, heating the dipper would cause the ice cream to begin melting, which might not be agreeable to those eating the ice cream. Finally, the sharp, serrated edges of the dipper could pose a danger to the user or a small child who might pick up the scoop.
Likewise, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 369,944 to Mark Cartellone discloses the ornamental design for an attachment for a hand-held blender that consists of a cylindrical container with a shaft positioned along the longitudinal axis and to which two rotating blades are radially mounted. However, the Cartellone '944 patent fails to provide a mechanism by which ice cream, or a similar material, could be scooped from a container; therefore, it would not be feasible for use in this capacity.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,819,744 to Ty J. Caswell discloses a funnel hole ice auger that includes a pair of ice boring blades fixedly attached to the bottom of a straight inner auger drive bar having a spiral auger blade wound around it and which extends upward and connects to a handle assembly including a crank arm. However, the Caswell '744 patent fails to provide an enclosed tube around the blades and into which ice cream, or another substance, could be contained after being cut. In addition, the Caswell '744 device is not electrically powered and would require a significant amount of arm and hand strength to operate. Finally, the Caswell '744 device would present a danger to users since neither the boring nor the spiral blades are shielded in any manner.
Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. Des. 329,784 to Joseph F. Wong discloses the ornamental design for an ice cream scoop having a hemispherical scoop on one end and a gripping surface on the handle. However, users having limited wrist and arm strength, such as the elderly, persons suffering from arthritis, or young children, would find it difficult to scoop hard ice cream with the Wong '784 device since it fails to provide electrical aid or an ice cream softening agent. Furthermore, the bowl of the Wong '784 device would tend to retain the ice cream and would cause difficulty when the user attempted to release the ice cream.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,631,551 to Bert F. Lawrence and Emma Ethel Lawrence discloses an electric ice cream scoop having a rotatable bowl with a revolving cutter and a movable bail contained within the bowl. However, the hemispherical bowl of the Lawrence, et al. '551 patent tends to retain the ice cream and does not permit its easy release. In addition, the movable bail, which is intended to remove the ice cream by sweeping the inner surface of the scoop, is ineffective in releasing the ice cream easily. Finally, the scoop would be difficult to clean, especially due to the placement of the cutter and moveable bail.
Lastly, U.S. Pat. No. 2,591,516 to V. L. Darnell discloses an electric dispensing device for semi-fluid substances with a cup member that has a cutting edge and a plunger for releasing substances from the cup member. However, the cup member of the Darnell '516 patent would be difficult to clean, especially under the plunger and around the teeth of the cutting edge. In addition, if the ice cream, or other substance to be dispensed, were somewhat melted, the portion of the substance in the cup would tend to fall out as the dispensing device was drawn upward from the container which houses the substance.
While the above-described devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not describe an auger scoop that allows the user to easily scoop decorative servings of frozen ice cream. None of the aforementioned patents provide a device which can serve ice cream in a decorative manner. Moreover, the Daniels, Jr. '591 and the Cartellone '944 patents fail to provide a mechanism by which ice cream, or a similar material, could be scooped from a container; therefore, they would not be feasible for use in this capacity. Furthermore, the Caswell '744 patent fails to provide an enclosed tube around the blades and into which ice cream, or another substance, could be contained after being cut. In addition, the Moonan '976, Baker, et al. '555, Clement, et al. '852, Fanini, et al. '150, Caswell '744, Wong '784, and Darnell '516 devices require the user to possess sufficient hand, arm and wrist strength to both scoop hard, frozen ice cream and eject it from the scoop. This could be difficult for the young or elderly, as well as those suffering from arthritis or other physical limitations. Furthermore, the cutting edge of the Ralls '843, Harris '943, Denison, et al. '163, and Caswell '744 devices could pose a safety hazard wherein the user or other individuals might cut themselves. Ice cream which is not completely frozen would tend to fall out of the Ralls '843, Baker, et al. '555, Harris '943, and Darnell '516 devices when the ice cream is lifted from the container. In addition, the position of the cup with respect to the handle of the Moonan '976, Baker, et al. '555, and Harris '943 devices would make it difficult to scoop ice cream from conventional containers, and the shape of the cylindrical cup of the Harris '943 device does not lend itself to conventional serving portions of ice cream. Additionally, the hemispherical spoon of the Fanini, et al. '150, Wong '784, and Lawrence, et al. '551 devices tend to retain the ice cream and do not permit its easy release. Moreover, the sweeping band of the Fanini, et al. '150, Lawrence, et al. '551 and Ralls '843 devices, which is intended to remove the ice cream by sweeping the inner surface of the spoon, is ineffective in releasing the ice cream easily. Furthermore, the Clement, et al. '852 patent fails to provide a mechanism for helping remove the ice cream from the spoon portion of the scoop. In addition, the Clement, et al. '852 and Denison, et al. '163 patents make provisions for heating the devices; however, this could make the ice cream melt, which might not be acceptable to all consumers. Finally, the Lawrence, et al. '551 and Darnell '516 devices would be difficult to clean, and the Denison, et al. '163 device could only be used by consumers owning a specific type of electrical knife.
Therefore, a need exists for a new and improved auger scoop that can be used for easily producing servings of ice cream in the form of continuous spirals or corkscrews. In this regard, the present invention substantially fulfills this need. In this respect, the auger scoop according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in doing so provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of providing an electrically powered scoop for easily scooping and decoratively serving frozen ice cream.